Seawater System

The UNCW Aquaculture Facility has direct access to high quality seawater from Bank's Channel, a protected channel that is continually flushed from a natural ocean inlet. Bank's Channel and surrounding waters are designated as "Outstanding Resource Waters" by the state of North Carolina and are protected for recreational and shellfishing purposes. Seasonal seawater temperatures range from about 5°C to 30°C, with a year round average of about 20°C, making this region suitable for research with a variety of tropical, subtropical, and temperate marine species.